IIM directors to meet Sibal to discuss autonomy

The government is set to hold a round-table with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) directors this week to discuss issues, including autonomy to the elite institutes, and examine the implementation of the R C Bhargava Committee report, which suggested setting up a pan-IIM board for greater excellence.

The directors will meet Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday and are expected to present a roadmap for the growth of the institutes.

“All issues, including their autonomy, growth and setting up of pan-IIM board will be discussed at the round-table. The IIMs may be asked to present their futuristic vision for growth,” a source said.

This is the first meeting of IIM directors with Sibal.

The IIMs had earlier opposed the implementation of the Bhargava Committee report, saying it would curtail their autonomy.

The committee was against giving full autonomy to the institutes and suggested a pan-IIM board to help them achieve greater excellence.

IIMs have been established by the government with public funds and are perceived as public institutions and thus IIMs cannot expect to become fully independent of the government, the committee had said in its report.

The Bhargava Committee had observed that the IIMs have failed to achieve greater degree of excellence as the key players governing them, including the government, have no real accountability for results. The IIMs had strongly disapproved the recommendations.